When Hunter Meets Prey
by Artemis615
Summary: Kusuriuri continues his journey and duty to slay demons, but when he runs into the one who hails over all demons, spirits, mononoke and youkai, what will he do? Will he slay her for his sword? Or will he not for the peace in her world? KusuriurixOC
1. Chapter 1:Sickness

My ideas on this story started right after I watch the Bakeneko from O-Ayakashi A Japanese Classic Horror. Kusuriuri is, by far, one of the characters I love the most. No entirely on his good looks, but his skills as a demon exorcist. So I made him meet the one who controls ALL youkais and mononoke and spirits, which, he slays with his one hell of a sword. There's only one chapter for the moment, so, to those people who wants to read the next chapter, will have to submit their reviews...(am I blackmailing?)

**Story 1**

**Chapter 1**

**Sickness**

-cough- -cough-

The sound of someone coughing painfully rang out in the quiet room. Unlike any other room, this room is decorated all over with wind chime and lucky charms, hanging on the walls and on the ceiling. And on the ceiling, each spaced from each other a good 40 centimeters, was hanged with transparent curtain-like cloth that is very rare. Deep red in color and sewn on them by hands using golden and silver thread were the images of spiraling creeper plants that blooms out a lily-like flower.

A bed was situated at the far end of that room, and above the bed was heavy curtains colored with the purest white and sewn on it were the symbol for the Nuraihyon, scattered all over randomly. The rules of the family states that only the lord of the current head of the Chimimouryou are allowed to use clothes painted or sewn with the Nura's symbol. Those that is not the lord of the Nurarihyon using the symbol will be punished severely.

An 18-year-old girl was lying on the soft bed, with blankets as thick as futon draped over her body, covering her already sick and frail enough self. Her long locks of blue-black midnight colored hair cascading down her bed, part of it lying on the floor. Eyes half-opened, her deep blue eyes looking towards the round and black shoji door, above the door was a short curtain with bells hanging off at each ends, ringing gently whenever someone opens the shoji door.

"Hime-sama, there's a medicine seller here to offer his service to your ladyship. Please grant him your permission to allow him to see your ladyship's condition." A small yet audible voice cracked the silent peace that the sleepy maiden had just gain for the last 2 hours.

The maiden, named Aya, was sick. The sickness had prolonged to the alarming date of exactly 3 months since she last caught it. The servants and other powerful youkai had tried their best by scrambling around looking for a doctor to cure their lady the moment she claimed she had another headache attack. Right after she claim her headache becomes worse, she loses her footings and fall down, rolling down the stairs, but not fainting before having her head hit the stone cold ground when her body came to a halt near the small fountain situated right in front of the stairs. Now lying in bed for the past three months, she cursed herself for not taking the medicine that she was requested to take every morning.

**Flashback**

"_**Hime-sama, your medicine is ready..." said Mitsui, one of her servants that serves Dayuu her daily meals and medicine. **_

_**Sighing, Aya nodded and motioned for her to place the medicine on the table. The medicine was in the form of soup which is boiled with herbs and ingredients for 3 hours. It is good for relaxing her mind and cools down her temper, plus the fact that she herself had anemia, she, really need the medicine.**_

_**Before she was able to drink it, a servant rush into her room and said, "Hime-sama, there's a conflict between Ryoga-sama and Ren-sama! Your ladyship are needed there to talk things out between the two of them!"**_

_**Raising from her seat immediately and ignored her medicine, Aya quickly donned on her blood red shawl and head out towards the hall, which the place of the said argument is currently tearing down the peace that she had worked so hard to achieve. **_

_**Just as she was going to go down the stairs, a wave of dizziness hit her, causing her headache from yesterday starts to pound her head again. **_

"_**Hime-sama, are you alright?" ask one of the servants.**_

_**Struggling to find her words, Aya forced herself to speak so as to ensure that the servants will not wail and scatter around just for her sake, to find doctors.**_

"_**Yes...I'm...quite fine..."**_

_**Stepping down the stairs, she didn't realize where her foot land, and when she did realize, and that is when the sickening weird feeling that one feels when one stepped 2 stairs ahead instead of one, it was too late. Before she knew, she was tumbling down the stairs, head hitting the stone fountain that is situated in the middle of the entrance, right in front of the stairs.**_

_**The last word she heard was, "Get the doctors!" **_

**End of flashback.**

"I told you before Mitsui, no more medicine. I'm getting tired of drinking medicine every hour." Said Aya, her voice becomes raspy for the lack of using her voice.

"But, Hime-sama, his medicine is proven and guaranteed for it's effectiveness. You should try it Hime-sa-" Mitsui start to persuade her mistress to receive the medicine seller's service, but what Aya gave the servant is...

"No." a firm reply of rejection.

After a while of silence, Aya sighed heavily and whispered her thoughts in a barely audible voice, "Sent him in then."

A look of delight immediately washed over the sullen look that had previously flooded Mitsui's facial expression. Nothing makes the little servant girl happy than seeing her own mistress stays healthy and taking her medicine on time. Scrambling up, Mitsui slide open the shoji door and invited the medicine seller to step inside of the room of Aya Nura.

Walking slowly, the medicine seller takes a quick glance and founded the bed, which is situated at the far end of the room. _I see, a prey._

Stopping right in front of the bed, he notices that the maiden that speaks with them earlier was lying in bed, fast asleep. He assumes that since there's no other person in the room, that raspy sound speaker must be her.

Taking her hand from underneath the covers, he examined her by placing two of his fingers on her pulse, which is very weak. He was going to tell the servant named Mitsui to get some herbs for the maiden, but seeing there's no one behind him at all, he decided to wait.

While waiting, the medicine seller decided to take his time to observe his surroundings. It was a very unusual room, with transparent cloth hanging from the ceiling and colorful wind chime hanging at every window. It was then he turned his attention to his patient, sleeping soundly on the bed.

Long eyelashes and rosy cheek, she looks pretty pale from the sickness and very beautiful for someone of her age. It was a very long time ago since he last saw a maiden as beautiful as her, and recalling the event when he encountered the Nue and the fighting over the todaiji centuries ago, he really had to admire the beauty that the deceased Ruri-Hime have earlier cannot match the beauty of this maiden. But there's something that nobody knows about him, is that he knows who is this maiden...

That will soon be his next prey...

_Date Written: 6__th__ of September_


	2. Chapter 2:Confirming

A/N-I know it's been quite a while since I updated this story. I'm truly sorry. It's not that I plan to abandon this story, no, I'll never do that. I'm collecting informations on this story, so that with the information I gathered, it'll make the story much more interesting. Here, I express my thanks to those that put my story to their story alerts and favorite stories category.  
Enjoy~

**Story 1**

**Chapter 2:**

**Confirming**

The sun has almost set, signifying that the day has finally ended and everyone can have fun and enjoy in the night time on the turf belonged to the family of Nura, a family you never want to mess with if you're a youkai.

The head of the Chimimouryou, Aya Nura, was sick with a sickness of some sort that no one is able to cure her from it. The sickness continues to loiter around and living off the life that Aya Nura posses. It also appears to suck the life out of Aya Nura slowly in a very painful ways, to which Aya herself sometimes waking up at midnight screaming for the pain to stop, which it did, after a few hours.

Sometimes, youkais that does not pledge loyalty with her tried to take over the village belonged to the family of Nura, or infiltrate it in the middle of the night, thinking that their guard is let down during sleeping hours. The gravest mistake of thinking that the current Nurarihyon is weak and unable to rise up from bed and protect the village from vile predators is done the moment they set foot on their turf. An invisible wall separated the youkais that is left without a master and those who acknowledged Aya Nura as the 12th Nurarihyon is set up by herself, killing those who dare to touch the barrier, and allowing entrance and no harm to befall those who pledge loyalty to her.

Aya Nura, whom all non-human beings respected, is one of the last decendent of the Nurarihyon's family, and bearing the full blood of Nurarihyon, she becomes the first female ever to be made into the head of the Chimimouryou, which means all evil spirits and monsters.

It is true that playing pranks and tricks is the nature of all Chimimouryou, and it can't be helped that they're evil by nature. But, even so, they who are known as evil spirits and monsters, have a leader. It is the rule of youkai that one must obey the head of Chimimouryou, which is the Nurarihyon. Those who did not obey them will be eradicated by burning them alive, with no exception to both intentional intruders and innocent bystanders. It is because those that doesn't obey the head tends to bring lots of trouble to all of the evil spirits that lives far away from humans. They shatter peace by leaving trails, allowing humans to purify the land they lives, and leave those who obeys the Nurarihyon homeless.

The land that Aya Nura governs with her absolute power as the Supreme Commander of All Youkai is large. Very large. But she didn't govern all of the place by herself. Each districts is divided and guarded by a clan leader, whom all pledge loyalty and perform the Sakazuki with her, the current Nurarihyon. At first, all of them did not agree that a female should take over the seat of Nurarihyon, but after seeing her tried her best to maintain the peace and protect her underlings with her own power, they understood and since then, the rumors about a young girl take over as Nurarihyon died down. At least, until a rumored hunter appears among the mountains that is governed by the current head of the Gyuuki clan, Ni no Gyuuki. A hunter that slays every passing youkai mercilessly. With a Demon Slaying Sword that is lost for hundreds of years.

The news had indeed travelled to the ears of Aya's bodyguard's ears, Karasu Tengu. The children of Karasu Tengu, known as Sanba Karasu, investigated, and found out that the hunter is a medicine seller, who sells effective medicine.

"Otou-sama! Please let him try!"

"No! Have you gone mad, my children? That traveling medicine seller is a _hunter_, a hunter! Do you not remember what hunters does when they meet us? I bet for all the Sake in our turf that he's after Hime-sama, and that all he thinks is that the world will be all quiet and peaceful once Hime-sama is gone, which will not happen because Hime-sama is the peace itself! I will not risk Hime-sama's life for all the medicine in the whole world."

"Even knowing that Hime-sama herself is dying from her sickness as well?"

Karasu Tengu kept quiet.

"Otou-sama. Please, we are capable of protecting the princess herself from that hunter. What's the most important thing right now is find a cure for the princess, which probably lies in the hand of the hunter."

"There is a risk!" argued Karasu Tengu.

"And there is the chance that the princess will survive!"

"Trust in us, Otou-sama."

"Please?"

Sighing in defeat, Sanba Karasu quickly ordered Mitsui so that she can bring the hunter in to see the dying princess. Karasu watch as they peeled their eyes open for any suspicious moves that the medicine seller does, and realize that they, too, love the princess, just like how every other youkai loves her. The princess is their top priority, for only those that flows the blood of the Nurarihyon is able to lead and govern a vast number of youkais.

The medicine seller notice how the Sanba Karasu glares at his every movement, as if daring him to use his Demon Slaying Sword on them. As he is lead to a round and black shoji door, he knew that the person inside is someone important. But how important that person is, he knew he will know about it later.

A soft reply came from behind the doors. It's so soft that he can barely heard it, even with his sharp hearing. He guessed that the servant, Mitsui, is a youkai that has superb hearing, and that enables her to hear what her mistress says.

_A girl_, he thought, _it's rare. Not many 'mistress' is guarded so heavily by advance guards. Some more it's the Senba Karasu that guards her. She must be very important. _

The door slide open. Mitsui gestures suggest that he is suppose to go in there, and so he did.

The room inside is completely decorated with charms, charms that ward off bad lucks and unwanted spirits. This strikes the medicine seller an amusing smile. A youkai using a good luck charm? How amusing.

There, lying on the bed, is a young maiden, a maiden that possesses the beauty that far exceeds Ruri Hime. Except for the small fact that she's as pale as a corpse. It seems as if she's asleep, but from the way she takes in shallow breath and her brows furrowed slightly, he knew that she had difficulty to breath.

Taking her hand from underneath the covers, to say he's not surprise would be a lie. Her hand is smooth and pale, almost lifeless. Judging from her weak pulse rate, something is definitely sucking her life out of her soul.

The medicine seller turned around, and was greet with nothingness. Nobody, not even the Senba Karasu, is standing anywhere in the room. And just so he notices, he saw the symbol. The one and only symbol he can never forget. The symbol that only the leader of the Chimimouryou can use. The symbol that only the Nurarihyon can use. And on the right side of that young maiden's bed, is a wall adorned with a single Katana, with the very same symbol carved at the end of the handle.

The young maiden, is probably the current Nurarihyon, the one person that the medicine seller had wanted to hunt down centuries ago, and she's here, right in front of him.

And just as he's going to stand up and retrieve his Demon Slaying Sword, the young maiden on the bed awakens, and her eyelids slowly fluttered open, revealing brilliant midnight-blue eyes, the same color as her hair.

"Who are you? " asked the maiden, using a voice that carries a tinge of bell-like sound above her raspy voice.

"It's nothing important who I am, what is important is that you're the current Nurarihyon, am I right?"

Slowly sitting up and braced herself together, she replied slowly by staring intently into the medicine seller's eyes.

"Yes. I _am _Nurarihyon the 12th, Aya Nura, the person who hails over all youkais. And you are no doubt the hunter that came to take my life."

_Date Written: 6__th__ February 2009_


	3. Chapter 3:Nurarihyon

A/N-I'll update Chapter 3 alongside Chapter 2 then, seeing as I've not updated this story in a long time. It's slightly shorter than the previous ones, but I think it'll do.  
Enjoy~

**Story 1:**

**Chapter 3:**

**Nurarihyon**

"Is everything alright, Your Ladyship?" asked the Senba Karasu, trying their best to peer into Aya's room from outside the window. Seeing no response coming from her, the Senba Karasu is ready to 'break' in to her room when suddenly, Aya opened the windows abruptly.

Smiling pleasantly, Aya said reassuringly, "Everything is fine, Senba Karasu. Please ask Yuki Onna to bring two servings of snacks to my room. That is all then."

"Yes, Your Ladyship." Replied all three Senba Karasu. Watching them spread their black wings once again and took flight into the blue sky once again from her window, Aya can't help but smile. The freedom and peace they own now is and will be hers to protect, for as long as she lives.

A bell ring lightly behind her, along with the sound of paper friction, Aya, again, smile.

"It's the Demon Slaying Sword isn't it? It's been lost for more than a hundred years from the hands of a monk who lives at the foot of Mount Fuji. To be able to witness it in the hand of a famous yet mysterious hunter is all the pleasure of mine." said Aya, her raspy voice no longer lingers around her speech. Turning around to face the medicine seller, Aya Nura's midnight blue hair swirls around her like silk, the small wind that blows in from the windows carried her hair's fragrance towards the medicine seller, which reminds him of fresh herbs in the mountains.

The medicine seller keeps his stance. He had one hand holding his Demon Slaying Sword, still sealed, pointed at Aya Nura, while his other hand holds a few white papers.

"Oh, what's that you're holding? They can't be yellow talisman that hunters so often use on our kind right? You know that they're quite useless..." one eyebrow raised elegantly on her forehead, Aya examined the papers in his hand from the window, giving both of them a distance against each other should the hunter start his move.

Frowning in disgust, the medicine seller brush her words off, "My kind is different then yours, do not put us into the same category."

Smirking, Aya looked at the medicine seller and bring herself closer to him by taking one step towards him. "Tell me then, how different it is?"

"My kind protects humans from pathetic beings such as yourself." Started the medicine seller, his expression bears a mark of utter disgust at the mention of Aya's status.

Eyes widened innocently, Aya said, "Protects humans? How kind of you. And might I ask, who protects your kind then?"

"We don't need any protection." The medicine seller said in a low voice, noticing that Aya has yet again taken another step towards him.

"My, I can't help but notice that you sounded so sure. Then tell me again, how does those humans treat your kind once they know about what your kind truly are and what abilities and powers lies in each member of your kind?". Taking another step, Aya Nura is now face to face with the medicine seller, with him looming over her small frame and the Nurarihyon staring into his grey-purple orbs, while the medicine seller merely keeps quiet upon hearing that statement.

Thoughts flashing back to his youthful years, back when his parents and siblings were still alive, running freely around the forest and the meadows, until a horde of humans claim that one of the young girl in the nearby village is killed by something that is not human. His family is the first suspect. They really haven't done anything, and they never went down to the village unless they heard of rumors that there's a mononoke or ayakashi appeared, which they will hunt them down and slay them with the Demon Slaying Sword. They only rely on nature, and yet the humans didn't believe them. His family is slaughtered. He's the one and only survivor.

He brushes off the reasons for the humans to kill his family as driven mad by grief, but sometimes his other self suggest the other reason. The humans killed their own kind and put the blame onto his family, who is neither human nor mononoke.

Seeing an emotionless sadness swirls in his eyes, Aya put up a palm onto his face gently and said in a low voice, hoping to distract him of his thoughts.

"For all these years that I've lived, I've come across many hunters that hunts for the supreme commander of all youkai, and believe me, _non _of them look like you."

Relaxing his defense stance and lightly holding onto his Demon Slaying Sword beside him, he smiled to Aya with his usual glaring-smile," I am but a rare hunter that walks on the path of a Mononoke hunter."

Realizing that he had mistaken her words, Aya smiled at him. "Of course, after all the rest of the hunters I've come across is mere humans. But unlike them, you're far more beautiful than them, far more intelligent than them," standing on tip toes, Aya whispered into his ear, "_far more deadly and dangerous than humans, an almost equal of me..."_

_Written On: 18th of February_


	4. Chapter 4:The Form and The Reason

A/N: Hello! Happy New Year and a Happy Belated Christmas! I am so sorry for taking my sweet old time updating this while all the time I've been sitting right in front of my computer wasting time on Wedding Dash 2, Harvest Moon GBA game and the Sims 2 all the way until I've entered college and started to live in a dorm without any computer and internet lines available (I had a hard time calling and messaging people using my hand phone since the line here really sucks like hell.)

I've been cranking and cracking my head open since the 28th of December trying to write this as fact as I could, and I swear, it's not that easy. My own mother had some kind of disapproval thingy when it comes to me typing my stories on the computer since I tend to type it in a super fast way making the keyboards go "tick tick tock tock" loudly, which kinda irritates her. Hell, she said I'm gonna get arthritics or some other finger disabilities if I keep on with my typing skills. I cannot, for the life of me, imagine myself becoming handicapped. And she threatened me that she's going to sell my computer when I'm away in my dorm if I keep on with my undying-love to typing my stories and ideas on the computer, so, I gotta do this when she's not around, which kinda sucks since my ideas tend to flourish during night-time and she's home after 7:30p.m (my mom's crazy when it comes to working.). I'll do my best to finish this, and it'll be soon. REAL soon. I promise.

* * *

**Story 1:**

**Chapter 4:**

**The Form and The Reason**

"I will slay you," said the Medicine Seller, eyes livid with frustration. He had thrown many yellow talisman towards the girl, who is obviously sick, and none of it works on her, and every time he throw a new one, it would hover in front of her for a moment before fluttering slowly towards the ground uselessly, as if it did not want to seal her.

"Curious little things they are, these talisman," said Aya, crouching down to look and prod at the immobile yellow talisman, as if trying to make it move. "They never worked on me or any of the youkais under my rule. How is it so?"

For all he knows, his yellow talisman had worked on every single one of the youkais he had encountered in the past. Hell, even one of the strongest youkais succumbed to it. He couldn't understand why his faithful yellow talisman doesn't work on her, a mere Nurarihyon.

"It's either you are too strong or you did something to them with your ability, ayakashi," the Medicine Seller said to Aya through clenched teeth, willing himself to calm down and think of the best way to deal with the Nurarihyon.

Looking up at the Medicine Seller, Aya smiled in an innocent way. "Really? I'm too strong for the talisman to stick on me? But it must have some effect! The least it could do is to burn my fingers, but it did not…unless…"

Aya's voice trailed off as she thought about something. She had read the journals of the past Nurarihyons and had studied the historical events that had anything to do with the involvement of her clan. The first of all the Nurarihyon, Nurarihyon the 1st, befriended Keikain Hidemoto of the 3rd and had received, or in truth, refused to return, the famed Spirit Blade that all the Nura clan's Nurarihyon wield secretly, Nenekirimaru. That particular Spirit Blade is said to be so powerful that even the greatest and strongest, near invincible Youkai, Hagoromo Kitsune, is said to have lose power underneath its blade one time and died under its blade the second time the tip of that blade met the youkai.

Realizing something, Aya raised her head and met the Medicine Seller's cold glare, "Unless the talisman you're using is from the Onmyouji clan, Keikain!?"

An immediate reaction is seen through the Medicine Seller's expression. Surprise washed over him over and over like the waves at the sea. Not just her knowledge about him and his sword, she even knew the origin of his talisman! No other youkai lasted this long with him around, and to top it off, her real form is shown to him right in front of his face, as if to challenge him to take her down right now and then. But he had not the reason and the regret from this particular youkai for she had not committed a crime worthy enough for her to die underneath his Demon Slaying Sword. _Nonetheless_, thought the Medicine Seller, _as long as she is an ayakashi, I __**have**__ to slay her for the sake of the humans. _

"So you do have a connection with the Keikain clan!?" said Aya, jolting the Medicine Seller from his thoughts. "No wonder, since you are the strongest of all the hunters that had come after me, Medicine Seller. The others cannot enter the barriers surrounding my room, much less this whole building." Aya waved he hand and gestured to her room.

"So!" Aya's voice raised a few notch higher. "How are they!? We haven't been in contact eons ago! The last time we did is when Keikain Hidemoto of the 3rd summoned me from his grave just to have a few bottles of sake with him. So I assume they are still well alive?"

Narrowing his eyes, the Medicine Seller thought to himself. Why does she, an ayakashi, would be in contact with the renown Onmyouji clan, Keikain? As far as he know, the Keikain are well known for their cruelty at slaying ayakashi, so why would the Keikains stayed in contact with her, the Nurarihyon, an ayakashi for this long without perishing under their onmyouji hands? There must be something that is clouding his talisman's decision to seal her.

The Medicine Seller started his words slowly in a threatening tone, "I'm not playing your game, _ayakashi_. You do not belong in the world of living."

"Neither should you," Aya countered back, taking a step closer to the slayer of ayakashi.

Noticing that she's trying to trap him, he snapped back at her, "I live for the sake of vanquishing all youkais and ayakashi, and you are one of them."

Taking another step, Aya came closer to the mysteriously beautiful man and said softly, "And so you are."

"I will find the Form, the Reason and the Regret, and I will _slay_ you," the Medicine Seller said in a harsh tone. He knows that a Nurarihyon could change their outward appearance into anyway they wishes, and he wanted nothing more than to tear her mask and slay her.

However, Aya doesn't seem to agree to his idea.

Closing in to the Medicine Seller, Aya stared up into the Medicine Seller's eyes and whispered softly, "You cannot slay me until you've found the Form, the Reason and the Regret. Now that you have the Form, you'll only need the Reason and the Regret, which I can assure you, you may have the Reason, but you may not have the Regret."

The Medicine Seller narrowed his eyes and stared back.

Smiling in triumph, Aya moved away from the Medicine Seller and opened one window, taking note to slam it as loud as she could, surprising a bunch of her trusted attendants, bodyguards and sometimes her self-appointed escorts, namely Yuki Onna, Aotabou, Kurotabou, Kubinashi, Gyuuki, Kejourou and the Karasu Tengu clan excluding Kuroumaru, Karasu Tengu's eldest son.

"How many times do I need to tell you that eavesdropping on my conversation when I'm attending to my guest is considered as rude?" said Aya, an annoyed expression plastered on her face.

"Hi-hime-sama," started Kurotabou, a youkai who dresses as a monk wearing a straw hat stuttered. "We- we were just-"

"The lot of you eavesdropped my conversation with Kusuriuri, yes, I know that," snapped Aya, anger bubbling in her. "Anything else that you want to tell me?"

"No-no, Hime-sama. We'll be going…err…going to the…err…"

"No. You lot are not going anywhere," Aya ordered. "I want all of my kimonos, including the obis, yukata, furisode sets, Juunihitoe, Hakama, Jinbei and Uwagi aired properly in the lawn and that not one single dust is to touch it. Arrange it according to its color. Clean all my obidome, jewelries and my hair ornaments. I want it all to be sparkly by the end of this evening. Go."

All of them scrambled away from her, silently thanking whatever the reason is that prevents her from exploding. Nobody, as in _nobody_, faces an angry Aya. Not unless they want to be banished from her Hyakki Yakkou.

Heaving a great sigh, Aya closed the window and spoke softly to the Medicine Seller without turning around.

"I told you, you won't be able to kill me with that, Kusuriuri-san," said Aya, highly aware that the Medicine Seller's Demon Slaying Sword is poised at her neck. Twisting her wrist slightly, Aya made the Medicine Seller aware that there's a sword touching his abdomen gently. Taking a deep breath, Aya continued, "-for I, too, wield a Spirit Blade."

_Written On: 29__th__ of December 2009_

* * *

**Index**

**Yuki Onna-Real name Mikura. She is Aya's trusted attendant. **

**Aotabou-The degenerate priest who wears the iron blue robe and the physically strongest Youkai in the Nura houshold. He is often seen with Kurotabou and the two are known as the assault officers of the Nura House. He has a skull necklace that when removed greatly increases his strength**

**Kurotabou-The Assassin and Destruction Monk & Master of the hidden blade, he is often seen with Aotabou and the two are known as the assault officers of the Nura House.**

**Kubinashi-A "No-neck" Youkai and one of Aya's demon guardians.**

**Gyuuki-The kanji for his name means 'bull.' According to legend, he was once a human who died searching for his mother. His resentment led him to become a youkai after his death. He is a high-ranked subordinate of the Nura group.**

**Kejourou-A demon who uses her hair to fight, she serves as one of Aya's demon guardians. She is also one of the cooks.**

**Karasu Tengu clan-The "crow" tengu youkai. Acts as the messenger and the head patrol guard around Aya's turf.**

**

* * *

**

**Artemis615: So? How do you think about this? Please leave a review for me and tell me what you think of this chappie! Thank you!**


	5. Chapter 5:Nenekirimaru

**A/N: And here's to chapter 5!!!! CHEERS!!!**

* * *

**Story 1:**

**Chapter 5:**

**Nenekirimaru**

"If you really wanted to kill me, Kusuriuri-san, you have to pass my blade's judgment first," said Aya in a strangely regretful tone. "It's the one who has the power to decide whether I am worthy of living or not"

_Ayakashi have blades?_ The Medicine Seller thought to himself. As far as he knows, ayakashi's do have weapons of their choice which is large and utterly horrible when it comes to the designs, but never blades since they're small and useless when it comes to combat with both the hunters and the ayakashi's alike.

He felt the sharp tip of a blade pressed gently through his sleeve. Aya is smiling at him softly, knowing that he _knew_ there is something dangerous pressing against his sleeve, which, once penetrated, would deliver a fatal blow right at his lung, and to his being.

"Meet Nenekirimaru, my Spirit Blade," said Aya, showing him the sheath belonging together with the blade that now rest gently and knowingly on his sleeve.

His eyebrow twitched at the mention of the name of Aya's spirit blade. _Nenekirimaru? _He thought. By his knowledge, Nenekirimaru is a spirit blade forged by Keikain Hidemoto the 3rd himself, which is then presented to the beauty of Kyoto, Youhime. That particular blade is only made to cut ayakashi, and is harmless against humans. At that time, her life is in grave danger, threatened by the excessive hunting for powerful Ikigimo to be presented to Lady Yodo, who is possessed fully by Hagoromo Kitsune centuries ago and who also happens to be the host of the Hagoromo Kitsune. She had been kidnapped by Hagoromo Kitsune's underlings and left the blade behind. Nurarihyon the 1st had picked it up and used it to finish and weaken Hagoromo Kitsune. That sword had remained in the Nura clan's possession since then and has never been returned to its rightful owner, the Keikain clan. Unless…

_Unless she's the descendent of that Nurarihyon the 1__st__!?_

"Nenekirimaru belongs to the Keikain clan," started the Medicine Seller, attempting to pry any form of information regarding the blade from her, especially as to how she came to posses it. "It was forged by-"

"By Hidemoto the 3rd of the Keikain clan, isn't it?" Aya interrupted the Medicine Seller, again, surprising him for her knowledge regarding the histories of the blade she is holding against him to protect herself.

"How did you come by with such knowledge on the sword and the Onmyouji clan, Keikain?" the Medicine Seller asked, suspicious etched clearly on his face. He couldn't stand another minute of curiosity any longer.

Taking a deep breath, Aya smiled at the Medicine Seller. "Because Hidemoto the 3rd gave that sword to Youhime, Kyoto's no.1 beauty at that time, who also happens to be the wife of my ancestor, Nurarihyon the 1st,"

"I am the last living descendent of Nurarihyon the 1st, which makes me the sole person who has the right to hold this blade. It won't listen to any other; it only listens to the Nura clan. No one will be able to held and wield it."

The Medicine Seller is speechless. For once, he agrees with Aya. A Demon Slaying Blade is not fond of switching owners. It only obeys one, and until its current owner is dead or it has been passed down to another, it won't listen to others, regardless of the fact whether the wielder is its previous master, which means, he cannot take the blade away from her. Only the blade has the right to take its owner's life away, hence his reason as to why he had stayed alive throughout the century.

Drawing a deep breath, he explained about the previous question that she had asked. "The Keikans have perished under the hands of a Bakeneko 46 years ago."

Eyes widened in disbelief, she draws a shuddering breath and asked to confirm what she had heard. "All of them…are _dead_?"

"I'm afraid so," the Medicine Seller answered her. There are no traces of the descendents of the Keikains left, and none other is able to take over the Keikain since everyone who are connected to the Keikains are killed one after another. "The Bakeneko killed them from the inside out, and left no one alive within the Keikain clan."

Heaving a loud and long sigh, Aya walked towards the wooden cushioned couch heavily by the side of the window and sat down sadly. "The youkais in Kyoto used to be under the direct orders of Hagoromo Kitsune. It seems that until now, they still cannot forget that they used to be her underling."

"And what does that have to do with the Bakeneko?" asked the Medicine Seller.

"Don't you know?" Aya said to the Medicine Seller, her eyes wide with surprise. "The Youkais residing in Kyoto is well-known for their violent and sadistic nature, following the nature of their mistress, the Hagoromo Kitsune. It is due to her influence that the youkais there seem to believe that they are the strongest in the world. Even after she had perished for eternity centuries ago, they still cannot free themselves from her evil intentions to dominate and drown the world in darkness."

Once again, the Medicine Seller raised his eyebrow.

"All youkais wanted to dominate the world in darkness-"

"And that you are there to keep the balance and preventing the world from being drowned in by darkness. Is that what you're trying to imply so that there is a reason to kill me?" interrupted Aya, her expression clearly indicate that he knew his intentions.

Smiling sweetly, she said to the Medicine Seller truthfully, "It is true that I tried to dominate the world, but not in a negative way. I don't dominate the world of the Humans; I dominate the world of Youkais. After all, I am the Nurarihyon, the leader of a splendid Chimimouryou."

_Written On: 30__th__ of December 2009_

* * *

**A/N: I adopted the ideas of Nenekirimaru, Hidemoto the 3rd and Nurarihyon the 1st from the manga 'Nurarihyon no Mago'. I'm not sure if this is categorized as a crossover or not, but the main character for the 'Nurarihyon no Mago', Nura Rikuo, is not here, and all the side characters in 'Nurarihyon no Mago' such as Yuki Onna and Kubinashi or Kuroumaru is the next next next next generation of the original characters in 'Nurarihyon no Mago'. If there is something bothering or not clear about the storyline, feel free to drop by a review and ask me, or you can just pm me.**

**Love,**

**Artemis615**


	6. Chapter 6:Heir

**Story 1:**

**Chapter 6:**

**Heir? **

The atmosphere is thick with tensions, but with the smiling Aya and the confused Medicine Seller pointing their respective swords and blades against each other's neck, the scene returns to the drama of the argument between Nurarihyon the 12th and the Medicine Seller.

"Lend me your ears, Kusuriuri-san, and I will tell you everything regarding the many reasons of why you can't kill me," said Aya, breaking the silence suddenly. Again, for the up tenth time, confusion flooded the Medicine Seller's handsome features. Everything this ayakashi (meaning Aya) does is all about randomness that makes sense, which, strange to say, infuriates him more than the fact that he cannot kill her if she is the rightful owner of the Nenekirimaru. The golden rules of the Keikain house has says that those ayakashi that involves with the Keikain cannot be harmed, and that includes Aya and the rest of her ayakashi since the Head of the Keikain, Hidemoto and the head of the Nura clan, Nurarihyon the 1st, are basically friends.

"Do you know why I am a Nurarihyon, despite the fact that I am a girl?" she asked innocently, something that she knew the Medicine Seller has been dying to ask her.

To hide the fact that he is every bit as curious as a newborn pup, he kept silent, giving her his silent answer, no.

"A Nurarihyon has always been a man," she started. "-which is truly a requirement, but despite its great importance, nobody objected when I am made Nurarihyon, as they strongly believed that gender is not important to be a Nurarihyon, but in truth, they have no more candidates left since I was the last among the Nura clan, and that I am their everything."

"All Nurarihyon has originated, born and came from the Nura clan, who bore excellent leaders of all youkais despite the candidate's status such as human or non-human selected as the mother for the future Nurarihyon. It all started when Nurarihyon the 1st married a human with healing abilities, and their son, in return, can only change into his youkai form at night and who chooses to be an ayakashi instead of a human. The son then married another human, who, same as his father, has his youkai powers divided again into half. And at last, the youkai blood becomes a small part that has no power to change the Nura descendent into a youkai leader. Then one day, a descendent of a Nura clan married a youkai, and the ayakashi blood slowly came back into the Nura clan, and, once again, the Nura clan's head becomes the Nurarihyon once more, leading as the leader of the Chimimoryou, all along until the line comes to me."

There was a long silent pause. Both the Medicine Seller and Aya were staring at each other; Aya's admiring the Medicine Seller's air of superiority and his good looks while the Medicine Seller is busy debating whether killing the ayakashi in front of her is a right idea, after all, she IS the descendent of Nurarihyon the 1st, and he had the Golden Rule to consider since he is once Kekkain Hidemoto's best student, and that nobody else but Nenekirimaru the Spirit Blade and Time has the power to take her life away.

"You sure are quiet, Medicine Seller," said Aya, cocking her head aside. Pale as she is, she remains as lovely as a Night Blooming Cereus even in her weakened state.

"You requested that I lend you my ears, not my comments on your lies."

Aya chuckled softly when the Medicine Seller said that her story is everything but the truth. "What you see right now is a female Nurarihyon, but the truth is, I am neither a man nor a woman."

"My mother was an Amekarasu, from whom I inherited that ability which, I am sad to say, unable to control freely. I may look like a woman, but underneath my skin flows the blood of a man, rendering me a hafling, which leads me being qualified to be a Nurarihyon."

Standing up from the couch and caressing Nenekirimaru in her hand, Aya stared off into the setting sun and the village that she now governs. "The last Nurarihyon did not leave a male heir. Instead, he left me, rendering me the last of my kind who is able to take full control of youkais."

The distant and forlorn look on her face reminds him of the many homeless children he saw along the streets, huddled together to keep warm and reminiscing their lost home and parents. At this moment, in the Medicine Seller's eyes, Nura Aya looks every bit like an abandoned child that is forced to take upon the burden of the head of an enormous clan.

"As you see," said Aya suddenly, breaking the silence yet again with her randomness. "I am infected with a kind of disease that is gradually sucking my life force away from me. I'll die as a youkai, but I won't die completely since my mother was an Amekarasu, and I will still remain here in the world as an Amekarasu, but by then I wouldn't have had the power to control the youkais anymore."

He knew what she is going to imply.

"If I die, there would be no one left to control the youkais. They will once again set loose on the streets, possibly joining the Kyoto's youkais and attacking the world of the living, which will then backfire on all of us."

"I've decided I won't kill you, ayakashi," the Medicine Seller said suddenly, surprising Aya. She had never met a Hunter that willingly lets her go, even after hearing her tales which is everything but lies.

"What?" Aya asked, this time, it was she who has the confused expression.

"I won't kill you, and I won't be your backup, so long as you promise to not intervene in the world of the living or I'll come back after you," the Medicine Seller said in monotone.

"I don't want you to be my backup," said Aya truthfully and innocently, realizing only seconds later that she had blurted that out loud.

"I mean, I do want you to be my backup- don't use backup, it sounds horrible! But then you are a Hunter, and my people won't accept a Hunter as a leader, which is a sad thing since the air of superiority around you is very admirable. Then again, that is up to you whether you want to be my backup, and just seconds ago you said that you don't want to be my backup, so it can't be helped since ruling a Chimimouryou is not easy."

If not for the intervention of the Medicine Seller, Aya would have blabbered on and on.

"Why are you explaining all these to me when you know full well that I am a Hunter?"

Again, silence filled the air for a long awkward moment. He noticed that Aya's face is flushed, and that she won't look at him straight in the eyes.

Drawing a deep breath, Aya blurted out what she had wanted all along. "I want an heir. A boy, preferably, and I want him born as soon as possible. But the problem lies in the candidates for the father of my son. The youkais here are not that strong anymore since Hagoromo Kitsune is gone, and they are not the perfect candidate for the father of my son…except…you."

For the up tenth time, the Medicine Seller raised his eyebrows.

"You, Kusuriuri-san, unlike any other hunter, are strong, smart, calculative, and beautiful at the same time. Should you have children, they're bound to be the same as you do…"

Standing right in front of him, she said solemnly and seriously, "Let me bear an heir of your blood."

"Impossible," said the Medicine Seller immediately.

"Why not?"

"All youkais dream is to dominate the world and drown it in darkness so that the youkais could breed and kill human to their likings. All you and your kind wanted to do is to drown the world in the Yin energy so that the Yang energy would be overbalanced and perish by itself, leaving only the Yin energy, which means you and your kind, to live in the world."

"That you need not worry," Aya said reassuringly, her eyes boring into the Medicine Seller's eyes, conveying the truth through her eyes. "Have you ever seen a Nurarihyon of the Nura clan gone haywire and try to dominate and drown the world of the living in darkness? No. We don't do such lame stuff. All we did is try to dominate the world of the youkais so that we would be able to prevent them from going after the humans, and when we don't go after the humans, they won't go after us. It's that simple, really."

If possible, the Medicine Seller's eyes completely vanish by squinting too much.

"If you still won't believe me and my good intentions to be the ruler of all youkais in the world and make them stay away from the world of the living, I will pass Nenekirimaru to you. And if that time you have successfully conceived your heir in me but I had been caught not keeping my promises to not go after the world of the living and the humans, you may destroy my, and in this case, your heir in whichever way you want."

The Medicine Seller looked like he intended to speak something, but Aya beat him to it by intervening quickly. "Of course, as the father of the heir, I can't possibly imagine you to be that cold-blooded enough to kill your own flesh and blood. I'll instruct Nenekirimaru to do the job for you then, and after I'm dead, you'll be the next person to take hold of Nenekirimaru, and my job as the leader of all youkai, Nurarihyon."

The Medicine Seller looked offended. "I am a hunter. I hunt youkais, and never in my life would I take over the role as a Nurarihyon."

"Then give me an heir. If all you're worrying is that I'll go back on my words, then you should save your pessimistic touches to the future. I keep my promises no matter what, that's a rule of all Youkai, and as the leader of Chimimouryou, you can't expect me to go back on my words are you? What kind of a leader would I be in the eyes of my youkais then?"

The Nura clan is famous for their attitude of sneaking around harmlessly, especially regarding the promises they made. They kept their promises till the day they die, and won't use sneaky methods to break away from the promise they've made. From what the books wrote about them, the Nura clan is a clan of 'clean' youkais.

"So? What is your reply regarding that, Kusuriuri-san?" asked Aya, awaiting the Medicine Seller's decision.

When he opened his mouth to reply her, Aya is suddenly seized in a violent coughing fit. That's when he smelled something odd in the air.

Right at that moment, a man with black wings with a hexagonal crown sits on top of his jet black hair burst into the room and saw Aya coughing violently with the Medicine Seller looming over her.

_Double trouble…_thought the Medicine Seller.

_Written On: 30th of December 2009_

* * *

**Index**

**Amekarasu-My self-made youkai, meaning Rain Crows. They're responsible of bringing water to the world of the living along with the Dragons, the guardian of the Rain.**

**A/N: Tell me what do you think about it.**

**Love,**

**Artemis615**


	7. Chapter 7:Possibilities

**Story 1:**

**Chapter 7:**

**Possibilities**

Following his instints, Kuroumaru, Aya's current bodyguards, stretched his wings apart and charged right on ahead to the Medicine Seller and wrapped his wings around his princess.

"Stay back, Kusuriuri!" exclaimed Kuroumaru, his jet black shoulder length hair drifted in a wind of their own, his deep dark eyes burning with the desire to kill the Medicine Seller, "-or I will take you down right here!"

Smiling mysteriously, the Medicine Seller said in a non-threatening tone, "You're mistaken-"

"I will never mistake Hime-sama's decision to draw out Nenekirimaru when confronting with a hunter holding the Demon Slaying Sword!" Kuroumaru intervened, his voice livid with anger. Right now, all that Kuroumaru thought of right now in his mind is that this Medicine Seller has threatened, or worse, trying to murder Aya Hime of the Nura clan and that she, in self-defense, draws out her Nenekirimaru, and before they could begin fighting, Aya's sickness resurfaced and she coughed violently, and that's what he heard when he's standing outside the door towards the princess's room. "Her highness will never draw out her Spirit Blade if

"Ku- *cough* rou- *cough* maru! *cough!* Stop! *Cough, cough!* Stop!" Aya said, trying to wring her words into Kuroumaru's ear. Whenever Kuroumaru's angry, he won't listen to others other than Aya herself. The only problem right now is that she cannot even speak out a proper phrase of words to stop him from attacking the Medicine Seller without coughing out violently. Hoping he could understand the urgency in her words, Aya gripped the front of his black yukata robes that is not covered with his armor, which successfully brought the attention of Kuroumaru.

"Hime-sama," said Kuroumaru righteously, gently pried the princess's hand that is gripping the front of his robes urgently, once again mistaking her intentions. "I will eliminate this hunter in the guise of a Medicine Seller for you. Please don't get agitated."

"No! Kuroumaru! Stop!" before Aya could finish a proper sentence, she is once again seized by another violent cough, this time it is accompanied with blood.

"What did you do to Aya Hime!?" the eldest son of Karasu Tengu cried out angrily to the Medicine Seller.

"I did nothing to her," said the Medicine Seller in the shortest and simplest reply he could. When it comes to dealing with an angry ayakashi, one has no time for speech and explanations. Any moment the ayakashi would snap and decides that killing an eyesore would be far more better than listening to its explanations and speech. "She is merely seized in a violent cough, that's all."

"A violent cough would make her draw out Nenekirimaru!?" Kuroumaru, if possible, raised his voice even louder at the Medicine Seller, unknowingly draws the attention of the many workers and maids in Aya's manor. "If not for Aya Hime, I would have slain you the moment I barge in here! Guards!"

Immediately, several of his underlings came pouring in Aya's room.

"What is it, Hime-sama?" asked Kuroumaru anxiously and worriedly as Aya clawed at the front of his robes restlessly, wanting him to understand the situation, but unable to voice out as she is still coughing. "Are you suffocating? The medicine brewed for you is almost ready; please bear with it for a while."

"No- Kuroumaru…he's not…*cough!*"

"No worries, Hime-sama. He will be judged in front of all the clans head. He will certainly be sentenced for the gallows for daring to even threaten your highness with his Demon Slaying Sword. By then, he will not harm Hime-sama anymore," said Kuroumaru reassuringly to his princess, wrapping his wings and arms around her frail form to his strong embrace as both he and Aya watch the Medicine Seller being dragged away by winged and armed Tengu guards.

"Kusuriuri…-san…" said Aya, her voice trailing off, one hand raised to reach out to the Medicine Seller, feeling her consciousness starting to drift away from her.

"Aya…" she had heard her called out to her name in a voice only she could hear, and she knew no more as she fell into the deep abyss of her dream.

The last thing she sees in her eyes is the Medicine Seller's smiling face.

Drifting in a world belonging only to her, Aya floated in the cool and yet warm water in her dream.

It was wonderful. Being in her is like taking a bath along with her clothes. They do not sink her, nor does she feel the need to sink deeper into the sea blue water. All she needs to do is breathe in and breathe out, all alone and free of pain.

_Alone? _

It surprises her that she does not feel pain when she breathes. There was not a time when her chest had not pained her whenever she takes a deep breath. Not that she bothered about the pain, but the thought of the pain and the feeling of loneliness as she drifted in this cool yet warm water brought another strange feeling in her, as if she is guilty for being here and enjoying all the fun all by herself and not inviting others.

That was when she heard someone called her name.

_Aya…-sama…_the soft voice called out to her.

_**Who is it?**_ She had thought. _**Who dared to interrupt me when I am thinking?**_

Then it came again._ Aya……sama…Aya Hime-sama…_

_**Who?**_

_Aya Hime-sama…wake up…_

She felt someone shake her; gently at first, but gradually becomes aggressive as she continues to sleep on. Opening her dark midnight blue eyes, she is greeted by Kuroumaru's dark pool of deep black eyes.

"Wake up, Aya Hime-sama!" he said, shaking her in a slightly aggressive way, unintentionally angers her.

Slapping Kuroumaru's hands away from her brusquely, Aya glared at him. "You know full well it's practically a felony to force me to wake up from my slumber," said Aya sourly, obviously displeased that she is called to wake up.

"I'm deeply sorry, Hime-sama," apologized Kuroumaru, Aya's personal bodyguard. "But there is something urgent that we need you to personally direct it."

Sighing deeply and tiredly, Aya said in an annoyed tone, "Who or what is it that is more important than my slumber?"

"The hunter that is in the guise of the Medicine Seller, Hime-sama," Kuroumaru answered her truthfully.

Eyes opened wide in surprise, Aya immediately demanded for a repeat. "_What did you say_?"

"The hunter," Kuroumaru repeated. "He's being sentenced today."

Anger instantly bubbled within Aya. Which insolent maggot dared to go against her!? "Who allowed him to be sentenced!?" Aya exclaimed furiously. "How long has it been since I've been dead to the world?"

"Nearly 3 days, Hime-sama," answered Kuroumaru. Aya looked like she had wanted to throw something, but Kuroumaru beat her to it by pulling out a small white packet. "-and Gyuuki-sama claims that he found this in Dakora-dono's room…"

Kuroumaru handed her a packet filled with white tablets and pills, making her eyes grows wide with surprise.

Grasping the small white packet, Aya held it tightly in her hand, finding it hard to believe that this small white packet is in the hands of someone she trusted for decades. The possibilities of a traitor are extremely high. "It's Dakora-dono…" Aya whispered to herself. "He did this to me…"

"Hime-sama!?" called Kubinashi, his expression anxious. "Has Hime-sama awaken?!"

Still keeping a firm grip on the small white packet, Aya replied in a voice laced with authority. "What is it, Kubinashi? If it's nothing urgent please get out."

"Dakora-sama…he…" Kubinashi started, but is not sure whether telling this to his princess would be the right thing considering the fact that Aya has the tendency to throw things around when she had been sleeping only moments ago; she's cranky whenever she had been awakened.

Aya seemed to be able to guess what Dakora had done. "What did he do?"

"He…" again, Kubinashi seemed to have difficulties pronouncing what Dakora had done.

It is obvious that Kubinashi feared Dakora, to whom rumors have been circulating around the clan about what he is plotting when their princess, the Nurarihyon Aya is laid sick in bed. Frustrated, Aya exclaimed loudly, "He _**WHAT**_?"

_Written On: 31__st__ of December 2009_

* * *

**Index**

**Kuroumaru-The eldest son of Karasu Tengu. Very serious, good-looking and extremely loyal to Aya.**

**Kubinashi-A "No-neck" youkai and one of Aya's demon guardians. **


	8. Chapter 8:Traitor

**Story 1:**

**Chapter 8:**

**Traitor**

"I shall be the one to decide the punishment for this hunter in the guise of a Medicine Seller since the current Nurarihyon, Aya-hime, is lying _sick_ in her bed," said Dakora, a youkai with a pair of horrendous eyes, taking note to imply the condition of the Nurarihyon. Spotting the Medicine Seller, kneeling in front of the Nurarihyon's throne, Dakora smiled wickedly. "And don't think I would go lean on you, Mr. Pretty Ice berg."

The Medicine Seller, having been kept in the underground confinement room, has been tortured for information regarding how to use the Demon Slaying Sword belonging to him by Dakora personally. The Medicine Seller knew that Dakora is up to something no good judging by the sheer aura that the youkai with the horrible eyes carried around him, and refused to cooperate regardless of how luxurious Dakora's offering to him is. The moment he refused, Dakora dived in for the torture, taking care to harm him hard enough and at the same time, not too hard in case he died. It would be troublesome for him if he died under his so called interrogation…

Smirking slightly, the Medicine Seller said in a slight mocking tone, "Interesting choice for my nickname…"

Before the Medicine Seller could finish his sentence, the man with the revolting eyes backhanded him across the cheek hard, delighted with the sight of blood trickling down the Medicine Seller's mouth.

"You do well to keep silent in my presence or I'll just rip that beautiful face of yours off your head and hang it up in my manor as tapestry, " Dakora said acidly, the venom in his tone promising many more unrelenting tortures. Many youkais standing near him shivered at the sheer ambiance surrounding the dangerous youkai with horrendous eyes, all the while Karasu Tengu observed silently, suspicious of Dakora's sudden bravery in voicing out his opinions and self-proclaiming himself to something that only the Nurarihyon could do.

Turning to the crowds of youkais clan of heads, Dakora smiled delightfully and said"Now, for the sentence, I decide-"

"But you can't," Karasu Tengu interjected, earning a glare from Dakora. The head of all crows youkai explained loudly, making sure the heads of clan present at the scene heard every single word, "Only the Nurarihyon has the power to decide the sentence for one. One does not have that power to-"

"Don't have?!" Dakora interrupted, eyes bulging with mock disbelief. "Then what about this hunter? He came here to kill your princess!" said Dakora, pointing an accusing and humiliating finger at the Medicine Seller, currently being helped to kneel back on the ground by one of Karasu Tengu's children. "He was lucky we allowed him 3 more days to live! The faster they die the better! Trash is best suited to be buried in the grounds instead of strutting around _my_ land!"

"Who are you calling trash, Dakora-dono?" said a voice now familiar to the Medicine Seller. He couldn't deny that he is relieved when he sees Aya interrupting the scene with her presence, guided by Kuroumaru, who held Aya's hand and had his head bowed low at her loyally, treating her like the princess she is.

Whispers and loud commotion immediately arises among the heads of clans. "Nurarihyon-sama!"

"Hime-sama!" said Karasu Tengu, surprised at her entrance, knowing from his children that she has not stirred once in her sleep for the past near 3 days. "Are you well enough to be walking right now?"

Smiling sweetly at the sight of Karasu Tengu hurriedly went forward and offered to help her be seated at her throne, Aya replied softly and gratefully, "I am fine, thank you for your concern, Karasu Tengu. And I must say all the lands here belonged to me, not you, Dakora-dono."

"Aya Hime," said Dakora in a mocking tone, as if he had something unpleasant in his mouth when reciting her name and her title. "What a nice surprise, to be gracing the sentencing of a hunter with your presence. What makes you- your highness came here in a hurry without changing into some…more…appropriate attire?"

Everyone began to notice it. Aya had come rushing into the scene without changing into proper attire. She is still wearing her sleeping yukata, along with another elaborately sewn black silk cloak. That black cloak is the only thing she managed to grab before she flew out of her room along with Kuroumaru.

Smiling and ignoring the mocking looks on Dakora's face, Aya replied sweetly, "I am merely anxious to see the father of the son that I am going to bear."

Immediately, a turmoil rose among the heads of clans, and the most surprised ones being Dakora.

"WHAT!?" Dakora had shouted at Aya using a voice pitch that would have made anyone wince. Aya, however, kept herself cool and calm, her smile still plastered on her lovely features.

"You choose a _hunter_ to be your companion?!" said Dakora, the word 'hunter' seemed to burn his tongue. "This is absurd! Never in my life-"

"And now you do." Aya interrupted almost rudely, tired of his constant opposing in whatever she wishes to do. Grabbing the sides of her long black cloak, Aya swung around and sat on her throne, glaring back at Dakora. "I like to be different, so it's only natural that I select someone out of the ordinary to be my companion. Is there a problem with my ideas?"

"Of course there is, Aya-"

"What did you just say?" Dakora had dared to mumble something that would definitely angers Aya loudly. In return for his disrespectfulness, Aya snapped at him, making him twitch slightly.

"I mean to say," started Dakora, looking at Aya using a strange glare that is starting to unnerve the Nurarihyon. "-there is a problem with your choice in selecting your companion, Aya-hime. You, who have been attacked by a strange sickness, is no doubt, going to die someday-

Instantaneously, the tinkling of metal hoops ranged loudly near Dakora's ear. "Watch your inauspicious mouth, Dakora-dono, or I might find them useless and slice them off your face," said Kuroumaru, eyes livid with anger.

Using his telekinetic power, Dakora blew Kuroumaru far away from him, making him land right beside the Medicine Seller, as if taunting his rank. "Who do you think you are, Kuroumaru of the Tengu clan? You? A youngling? Challenging the great Dakora-sama? It would never happen in your lifetime, boy. Do not think that just by groveling by the feet of your princess you would gain my respect. Youkais like you should just disappear from the face of the earth."

"Whether a youkai like him should just disappear off the face of the earth or not, that decision will have to come by me," said Aya in a hard tone, the tell-tale sign of the calm before the storm left hanging in the air. "You shouldn't suggest something that would make me angry, Dakora-dono."

"Whatever you said, _Aya_," said Dakora, daring to use Aya's given name without the honorifics she is honored to use. "That Medicine Seller _must_ and _will_ die under my order. Guards!" immediately, all the guards in the room straightened up. "Rip that man to pieces!"

Aya's eyes widened as she stared at the chaotic situation. Most of the head clans that are still loyal to her tried to stop the guards that has been controlled by Dakora's power while Dakora himself stared straight at Aya, challenging her to harm him.

Standing up from her throne, Aya ran towards the Medicine Seller and threw a protective arm around him, eyes glaring hotly at Dakora.

"_I'll slay anyone who dares to harm him with my blade."_

_Written On: 2__nd__ of January 2010_


	9. Chapter 9:Caught

**Story 1:**

**Chapter 9:**

**Caught**

"Stop! Whoever tries to harm him shall have his heart ripped out by me!" Aya exclaimed loudly, arms held out protectively right in front of the Medicine Seller, halting every youkais movement instantly. Regardless of Dakora's orders to the guards that he had won over using his powers, all the guards halted their movement the moment they hear Aya's order, leaving Dakora seething in anger.

Glaring at Dakora, Aya said fiercely, "_He's mine_. No one touches him, unless he wants to die by my blade."

Scoffing, Dakora said in a mocking tone, "Blade? A Nurarihyon has a blade? Play time is over, Aya _Hime,"_ the Medicine Seller takes note of Dakora's mocking tone when he addresses Aya's title, Hime. It sounded as if he's reluctant to call her that noble title. "Don't make up any more of your stories, we're talking business here."

Nenekirimaru's existence as the Nurarihyon's Blade is only known to those that the Nurarihyon truly trusted, such as Kubinashi, Yuki Onna, Kuroumaru and the Co. They had promised to not betray the Nurarihyon for anything of their own benefits, and should they became traitorous, they would immediately be cursed with the "Pain of Thousand Years", which they would then suffer for the said amount of years with pain even beyond the graves.

Aya's demeanors shifted once again. She appeared unruffled and aloof, and yet at the same time, appeared warm and kind, and didn't seem to have heard Dakora insulting her with the tone in his voice. She calmly smiled at the Medicine Seller, pulling out Nenekirimaru from the folds of her yukata.

Turning her attention towards Dakora, Aya began in a tranquil tone, "I have tolerated with your demeanor for as long as I lived. I had wanted to cherish the little relationships that you and I have as my late father's friend and trusted advisor. I had, at times, called you 'uncle' out of respect and for all the things that you have done for my father, I thank you for that from the bottom of my heart."

Dakora smirked and held himself with pride, puffing out his chest.

"But I can no longer tolerate it any longer," said Aya, drawing out Nenekirimaru from its sheath and advancing slowly towards Dakora. "You've challenged me and sullied my pride. You stepped on my head and tried to rebel even though you knew you are no blood relative of my clan. Do you think that all this time I tolerated your entire bad attitude would means that I am a person with great patience and extremely unobjectionable?"

Dakora started to back away from the advancing Aya.

"Or have you forgotten how my father punished you for speaking rudely to my mother, like what you did to me right now?" Aya started with a cold tone, the atmosphere around her turning cold and intimidating while her hair started to dance in a wind of its own. Dakora's expression darkens to the degree that he is beginning to emanate the dark aura of someone that has sunk to the level of a traitor, recollecting the unpleasant memory.

"Have you forgotten the pain, the humiliation? Have you forgotten that you have nearly died? Or have you, perhaps, forgotten what you used to be like?"

Clutching his head, he screamed loudly, "ENOUGH!"

Glaring up at Aya, he said in an biting tone, "Enough, Aya! You, as a female, are not FIT to be the Nurarihyon!"

Smiling maliciously, Aya said ironically, "Then if it's not me, who else would?"

Standing up properly, Dakora stared insolently straight at Aya's eyes and puffed out his chest, "_Me_!"

Aya scoffed. "Don't be absurd. You have not a drop of the Nura's blood in you, what makes you fit to be the head?"

"I've served the Nura clan for 400 years…" taking a deep breath, Dakora stare angrily at Aya, "-and this is what I get in return?"

"No. This is what you get for betraying me. I knew you fed me with human's medicine, which I am highly allergic to. Gyuuki found a pack of it in your bedroom, and also your little cousin that you have instructed to feed me with the medicine working in the kitchen. Do not think that I have been lying in bed waiting for you to feed me with that human's medicine for this whole three months. I can assure you one thing firmly," stepping down from her throne, Aya leaned close to Dakora and hissed angrily, "-_I am no idiot_."

Leaning back, Aya used a deeper tone of voice and said loudly, "Guards! Take this traitor to the underground confinement room. He shall spend the rest of his days in the dark."

Aya walked towards her throne and placed a hand on it, as if blaming the throne for all the troubles it had caused. "Also, free the Medicine Seller." Aya added. "He has done nothing wrong against me."

Before any of the guards could reply, Aya collapsed heavily on the throne.

_Written On: 3__rd__ of January 2010_

_

* * *

_

**A/N: You might have noticed why Aya is called as 'Hime'. She is the last of all the Nura's, and also for the unknown fact that her father is one of the most powerful Nurarihyons ever existed in the course of history, and thus giving her the title 'hime' for the respect and admirations the rest of the clans head have for her and her father alike. **


	10. Chapter 10:Pleasures Within Poisons

**Story 1:**

**Chapter 10:**

**Pleasures within Poison**

"How did this happen?" said Kuroumaru, wincing as he heard his princess's screams of agony, the occasional crash of porcelain vase and mirrors being thrown across the room reverberated within the Nura Manor, its source came from the Nurarihyon's room.

Aya had collapsed unconscious on her throne right after she issued that the Medicine Seller is free to go. As her bodyguard, Kuroumaru has brought her back with his father and the Yakushi clan's head close behind his tails, deeply concern of the pale princess. As soon as Kuroumaru laid the princess down on her bed, she woke up immediately and chased everyone out, screaming around as if she is in deep anguish and throwing priceless vase around the room.

Ren Yakushi sighed. He is a pale-looking young man who had silvery-white hair flowing to his waist, tied back simply with a deep red ribbon to keep them out of his beautifully emotionless face. His clan specializes in making medicines, and he had tried to heal the princess from human's medicine, which she is highly allergic to, but to his dismay, he could not help her at all as human's medicine is not his forte.

"Dakora has been feeding her small amount for the past one year," the silver-haired physician said dismally. "He seemed to want to kill her off when her body finally succumbed to the human's medicine, and he gave her large amounts of it in one go the day before he started to sentence the Medicine Seller. I trust you noticed his sudden bravado in giving orders when the princess is not around, Head of the Karasu Tengu clan?"

"Yes, I did," said the small sized Karasu Tengu, who, despite his appearance, is indeed the head of the Karasu Tengu clan. He had had his actual size preserved in a spell that only he knew, so as to reserve his energy for possible wars or attacks and only use it during crucial time. "I find it rather odd for the normally reserved Dakora-dono to suddenly grow into a brave tyrant when in the past he is just as quiet and loyal as a little puppy."

Their conversation is interrupted with a choked scream from Aya's room, followed closely by a white vase full of blue irises thrown right through the space in between the two standing ayakashi. They appeared unfazed by the sudden appearance of a flying vase.

"I know human's medicine very well," said a smooth masculine voice suddenly from the corner of the corridor. The three of them turned their heads around to see who the owner of the voice was.

It was the Medicine Seller.

"I can help her," he offered, his eyes focused on none of the three ayakashi, but on the shadowed outlines of the princess through the thin semi-transparent shoji door, throwing things around the room. He had observed her a few times, and he saw how she would often pause for a while in her ministration and leaned over onto a coffee table, breathing harshly and loudly. "I lead the life as a Medicine Seller in the human world, and often came across something that requires my expertise as a medicine seller who sells human's medicine."

Kuroumaru, who had been standing right in front of the medicine seller, narrowed his eyes watchfully, guarding the door leading to the princess's chamber. "How would we know that you wouldn't kill her?" he said forwardly, tightening his gloved hands on the hilt of his sword, preparing for anything from the suspicious Medicine Seller in case he tried to do anything.

"Kuroumaru!" Karasu Tengu reprimanded his eldest son sharply, who ignored his father's callings and continued.

"Why linger around when Hime-sama has freed you?" he started angrily, his grip on the hilt of his sword tightened for every single accuse he threw at the Medicine Seller, who remained as calm as he had first stepped into the land of the Nura clan. "Are you planning to take her life away again when she had saved you from your fate? Are you trying to finish what Dakora had started? Are you trying to kill her?"

"Enough, Kuroumaru-dono!" exclaimed Ren irritably, instantly stopping Kuroumaru's accusations. Once Kuroumaru had stopped arguing, Ren continued gravely, "The Medicine Seller has a wide knowledge in the medicine field, in both the human's and the ayakashi's. With his combined knowledge of both the Ayakashi's and the Human's, he could well be the only one able to save her."

"But that doesn't make sense!" Kuroumaru exclaimed stubbornly. "You're a physician yourself! You're an Ayakashi, and Hime-sama is an Ayakashi too-"

"But you seemed to forget that she is not fully Ayakashi, my son," Karasu Tengu interrupted, placing a hand on his shoulder. Kuroumaru has been Aya's closest bodyguard for as long as anyone could remember, starting right from when she is born. He practically raised her himself, and is more brotherly than a fatherly figure to her. He cherished his princess greatly, and he doesn't wish for the princess that he had painstakingly guarded and protected lost her life just like that.

"She does have traces of human blood within her," Kuroumaru's father continued, his voice now taking a softer tone. "-which is what triggered both the allergic and the reaction that humans normally do to this kind of medication."

"It was just an aphrodisiac-"

"Which, when given to a human, would generate unbelievable urges to have sex," Ren intercepted once again. "Aphrodisiac is the one thing known only to those Ayakashi's who practiced medicines that could harm a powerful Ayakashi, triggering allergic reactions that could sometimes be fatal, which is, unfortunately, happening to our princess right now."

Kuroumaru's eyes widened in surprise and fear, "Then save her!"

Ren sighed deeply, as if regretting the fact that he could not help the princess. "There are no known counter-measures for an Aphrodisiac. The only way is to wait it out or to actually satisfy the lust that has started within her, but the former idea is the worst since waiting it out means to allow the blood running high in her veins, which could really kill her if it is not brought back down to the normal blood rate."

He observes everyone's expression, finding traces of concern on their looks, even within the seemingly cold eyes of the Medicine Seller. He continued solemnly, "She could well die from internal bleeding."

"I owe her one," the Medicine Seller said suddenly, his voice felt alien to even him, for he thought he sounded rather apologetic. He is a Medicine Seller, always moves as someone without a name and hunts Ayakashis to rid them off the human world, and yet, here he is, not only owing a debt to an Ayakashi, but would go as far as to help one. He really should have put his emotions aside when dealing with such ayakashis, but when it comes to his mentor's families, he really couldn't help but to be emotional.

Stepping forward, the Medicine Seller raised his hands and paused right on the hollowed handle on the shoji door. "I'll help her."

The air is thick with tenseness. Everyone is on guard around the Medicine Seller, who, at times, would put people into a defense mode with the mysterious air around him. Ren broke the silence grimly, "You do know what you're offering, right, Mr. Medicine Seller?"

"I was about to gave her my answers when I was taken away by the Karasu Tengu's first heir," said the Medicine Seller, still fixing his eyes on the door. Aya's breathing has grown difficult and heavily labored, and he couldn't help but to feel as if there is a string tugging at his heart, begging him to do something about it.

Kuroumaru's cheek colored in slight pink when he heard what the Medicine Seller said. He did feel a little guilty about taking the Medicine Seller under arrest, and he now realize what the princess has been trying to tell him when he heard what the princess has announced in the hall.

"If what the princess said is true," Karasu Tengu started, catching the Medicine Seller's attention, which turned his head around to meet the Karasu Tengu's eyes. "Then that would means you will be the father of the child she is going to carry in the future."

"Yes," Ren agreed. "She does announce that you are the companion she had chosen to be with. By means of helping her, you will be giving her your heir."

"That is my intention, and my response from her last question," the Medicine Seller replied simply. He gave a nod to each of the ayakashis and slide the door open, closing it behind him quietly.

An almost infinite amount of shattered vase littered the polished wooden floor, its color mixing together like splattered paint, distorting the beautiful image of the room that he had previously have the privilege to observe and admire. A few curtains gathered in a heap, as if it were torn off from their hooks high up in the ceiling and thrown about in anger. He moved closer to the sound of harsh breathing, and huddled in a corner, hidden by a transparent curtain, was Aya.

Quietly, he walked towards her. She seemed to know he was there, and the closer he gets to her, the tighter she curled herself into a ball. Kneeling down in front of her, the Medicine Seller softly whispered to her, "Let me help you."

Without even replying, Aya stood up quickly and moved away from the Medicine Seller, as if she cannot bear to stand close to him. Breathing harshly, Aya searched for something to quench her sudden burning throat. She spotted a large vase-like jug filled with water and quickly took it into her arms, gulping it down greedily, not caring if the water overflowed from the jug and down the front of her yukata, soaking it in cool ice water that does nothing to cool her burning skin.

Suddenly, the water that drained down her front changes from transparent to blood red. Coughing violently, Aya dropped the jug, which shattered into a thousand pieces and tried to support her on one arm by the table, which fell down when she dragged it with her to the ground.

The Medicine Seller rushed forward and catches her just as she fell and knelt down onto the floor, vomiting fountains of blood with him holding her in his arms. The Medicine Seller noted that her breathings were growing harsher, as if it is painful for her to even breathe a mouthful of air. He held her patiently in his arms, pulling a handkerchief out of nowhere and dabbed at her mouth, cleaning her face from blood.

"The human medicine you are given is an aphrodisiac," the Medicine Seller explained, moving a stray lock away from her eyes. "And I know that you know what you have to do to save yourself-"

"I thought I've freed you," intercepted Aya suddenly, her voice sounded grainy from the prolonged screaming. "Why are you still here?"

"You didn't hear the end of my answer last time," he said simply, his lips curved up a little when he saw her eyes widened in surprise. "I decided to let you conceive my heir."

There were several expressions on her face after she had heard what he had said, and among them the Medicine Seller noticed that there are fear and confusion.

"I have to do this," said the Medicine Seller solemnly, grasping her hand in his. He watched as Aya gasped for breath and desperately tried to move away from him, but he secured her in his embrace by wrapping one of his arms around her shoulder, preventing her from moving away. Gripping on the front of his robes tightly as if they would be the substitute for her burning desires, a tear escaped Aya's eyes, her face flushed deep with desires she cannot comprehend. The torturing desires she felt burned deep within her and causing her extreme pain, growing all the more as she desperately trying to resist them.

"Aya, I have to do this," the Medicine Seller insisted. "-or else the amount of Aphrodisiac would kill you in less than a day-"

"Then stop them with something else!" Aya breathed out, her face flushing deeply, beads of sweat dripping from her brow.

The Medicine Seller gave a squeeze on her hand, giving a troubled look. "There is no other way," he said almost apologetically. "The medicine that it requires to neutralize all the Aphrodisiac in your body needs at least a full moon cycle for it to work, and even with that, it could only neutralize a small amount, and not a large amount."

One hand caressing the side of her flushed face, the Medicine Seller said sincerely, "Let me save you, Aya."

Aya turned her face away from him. "I did not save you just so you could repay me."

"Let me love you then," the Medicine Seller insisted simply.

Surprise came over her face. Turning to look at the Medicine Seller slowly in disbelief, Aya couldn't speak properly without wincing in pain and so she whispered tiredly, "What?"

Bringing her wrist to his lips, he brushed his lips against the back of her hand and whispered against it, "Let me love you for the time being. Until you are fully healed, let me love you."

A single tear escaped her glistening eyes. Swallowing audibly, Aya murmured. "But I'm an Ayakashi-"

"Which thinks most differently than most Ayakashi or mononoke's I've ever met," the Medicine Seller replied to her softly, an extremely light, almost non-existent smile grazed his thin lips. "You're not a full mononoke, nor are you dead with hatred and killing humans. You're born as an Ayakashi, with part of a human thinking, possibly influenced by your human blood from your ancestor. You live a life without hatred, and if possible, full of love for your people and tried your best to keep them away from harm by distancing your world from the human world as far as possible. You realized that as an Ayakashi with human blood, you won't live longer than a normal Ayakashi, thus you need an heir with a father who is different than most ayakashi's and humans."

Aya's eyes widened in surprise, mouth parted slightly in awe. "How do you know-"

The Medicine Seller merely smiled. "I figured them out when I'm in captive under Dakora."

Lifting her up into his arms, the Medicine Seller walked slowly towards her bed, where he gently laid her upon it and sat on the side of the bed, leaning forward and placing both of his arms beside her head. He patiently waited for her to give him permission to touch her.

Almost shyly, Aya looked up into his eyes. It was of such a captivating color, and the gaze he gave her was so strong that she was tempted to look away. His face is so close to hers that she could practically felt his breath lingering on her lips, a mere inches away.

As brave as she was mentioning this union earlier, she felt appallingly embarrassed when having to face him this close. She wished that she would have this union with someone that loves her, but the dire situation she is thrown unceremoniously upon were not giving her time to wait for the feelings to blossom. And she knew she cannot die right now; what would happen if she refused the Medicine Seller's seductive advances? She realizes she loves him when she so willingly drew out Nenekirimaru for him, a hunter. He might love her, but she will never know it if he didn't voice it out.

She could already feel the raging fire burning within her is slowly corrupting her from the inside, killing her slowly if she refuses the union that is the only thing to quell it completely. She cried out and arched her back when she moved her trembling legs, the fire within raged wild with need. As unwilling as she is having a loveless union, she had to do it for her people. How would they survive without her, when she is the last of her kind and having no heir to support her after she dies? Something good might result from this union, and she wishes that it will never take a turn for the worse.

With a trembling hand, Aya stroked the man's cheek, who hovered above her and staring at her with a gaze resembling adoration. Its paleness rivaled her very own, and she felt the fire grazing the tips of her fingers being quenched immediately just by the simple acts of touching him. Tilting her head up a little, the Medicine Seller leaned down and met her lips softly, almost lovingly.

Their lips touched, gently and cautious at first; one experiencing her first kiss while the other started slowly so as to not frighten her of what is to come later. His lips were soft, and hers were sweet; both were of a velvety texture and extremely addictive even for a starter. She never knew that the sheer feelings of kissing could stir up something within her, and she wanted more of it.

The kiss gradually became more forceful and passionate as the Medicine Seller lost all of his reason to be gentle with her and found how much he relished the kiss; her sweet lips, her velvety skin, and the addictive cavern. Slipping his tongue into her mouth, he smirked when he heard the beauty beneath him responded with a slight cry and her tongue starting to move against him.

He felt her wrap her arms around his neck, deepening the kiss as she started to succumb to her desires welling within her. The little restraint that either of them have for themselves snapped seconds after he felt her tongue licking his lips when it came to this kind of physical touch. Her wants were already clear and lying open to him underneath, while his came soon after. Nothing could stop her from wanting this physical touch to go on further, and nothing could stop him from embracing her.

His deft fingers slide between their now tightly entangled bodies and pulled at the string that serves as the only barrier to her skin. Breaking the kiss, his mouth travelled to her neck and he begun kissing them, tasting the fresh and slightly cool skin, indicating that she had just taken a shower to ease the fire that only she can feel. He smiled when he felt her hands trying to tear his clothes away from him, whimpering when her trembling fingers failed in the process. Leaning back, he took her hands away from his clothes and undressed himself.

Robes quickly covered the cold floor in a flurry of motions, the sound of kissing the only sound that breaks the silence within the sleeping chamber of Nura Aya. The beautiful man hovering on top of Aya explored her open body with his hands and lips, driving her mad with need. His hands and fingers came to a stop in the spot between her legs, feeling her arching her back to feel his hands, her body pressed tightly to his. He stroked her silky folds and inserted one long lean finger gently so as to not cause her pain, feeling her getting so high and wet that her juices had started to flow out onto his waiting hand.

Leaning into her ear, the Medicine Seller whispered his name to her, licking and sucking on her earlobe, brings her another wave of pleasure. She had started to leave fingernail marks on his forearms, gripping him tightly, as if to tell him to just take her and stop all the foreplays.

Many a times, Aya would feel sharp pain that lasted for no longer than a second whenever the Medicine Seller kissed her, leaving a trail of saliva and planting 'strawberries' in his wake. He decided that he liked to see her with kiss marks all over her, and he had taken the advantage to do so when he stroked her so as to not let her know of what he did. He wanted to see what is her reaction when she realizes all the love bites he had planted all over her neck for the world to see when all of this is over, making him smile slightly in his muse.

He positioned himself over her and paused in her entry, looking into her dazed eyes for more permission. Aya whispered his name softly and touched his chest, stroking the smooth pale surface. That is when all the pain started.

The Aphrodisiac that Dakora had given to Aya seems to have a rather different effect than most normal sex stimulating medicines. It did not only raise the amount of needed pleasures, but also other senses such as pain, heat or cold. In other words, Aya now have more than 10 times the sensitivity of a normal human and Ayakashi.

He entered her slowly, not wanting to hurt her more by being rough and preferred to approach her gently, nudging her entrance and inserted himself more into her. He saw her face pulled up in pain, her grip on him tightened 10 folds as the pain started to take over her. He knew it hurts her, but if he stops right now, he will cause her more lasting pain. Kissing her tears, he snapped his hip forward and entered her fully in one move, hearing a mixture of strangled cry of pain and pleasure from her. The burning feeling on his back where she had sank her nails in him by gripping him too hard made him stopped moving all at once, allowing her time to adjust to him.

The feeling of being buried within her makes him feel so complete, and she's so warm. He never expected her to smell so wonderful either, a smell so addictive he wished he could bottle them up and be preserved forever. He would expect no less than 10 fingernail marks behind his back later on. Grunting embarrassingly in pain and pleasure, she used both of her legs to grip him tightly by the waist, and when she did that, a smile grazed his lips.

One hand sliding over her breast, he slipped his tongue into her mouth when she gasped from his touch, relishing and exploring her sweet addictive cavern and loving it when she responded back to him with equal fondness. He deepens their kiss almost to the degree of violating, to which she followed and soon their tongue is entangled in a battle over dominance, ending with the Medicine Seller on the upper hand.

When the pain diminished completely and be taken over by an extremely pleasurable feeling, Aya started to move, giving the Medicine Seller the hint he needed for him to move. He obeyed her completely and started to move, slow and gentle at first, and gradually picking up pace. Aya moaned and cried out in pleasure, holding the Medicine Seller to her tightly, feeling him embracing her as tightly as she did, and whispering her name over and over.

They spend a total of two full days making love with each other, not feeling the need to eat or drink as they satisfy each other completely, their eyes having only each other within their very own hypnotizing orbs.

_Written On: 2nd of July 2010_

_

* * *

_

**A/N: First and foremost, I have to say that I hoped all of you have enjoyed my story thus far, regardless of the Medicine Seller's strange position (which I noticed is getting stranger and stranger as the story proceeds) and his strange actions. It's just so hard to keep the wonderfully beautiful, mysterious, sexy, hot and everything wonderful Kusuriuri-san in position and character, and I really hope that not many of you would mind the romance between Nurarihyon-hime and Kusuriuri-san. Dear, dear, I'm getting horny. Shit, this is embarassing.**

**It would surely and completely motivate me if you would kindly leave a review for me. Thank you for staying with me this far throughout When Hunter Meets Prey.**


	11. Chapter 11:Farewell

**Story 1:  
Chapter 11:  
Farewell**

It was at the end of the 2nd day's midnight when the female Nurarihyon finally opened her brilliant midnight blue eyes, taking in the sight of the beautiful moonlight casted down from the slightly opened window situated not far from the bed. There were clothes all over the floor, broken water vase holding water mixed with her blood, torn curtains and overturned tables. Overall, her chamber is now a total mess.

Then there was the very warm body lying right behind her, arms wrapped protectively around her lower abdomen and rhythmically breathed slow, warm breaths behind her neck, a notion she finds very calming and pleasant.

Then the warm breath started to shower the back of her neck with burning kisses that just made her want him again.

"I suppose it is appropriate for me to say good morning right now?" he whispered behind her back, moving a lock of her midnight hair away from her neck and proceeded to suck on them, leaving blooming love bites in his wake. Aya merely smiled and chuckled slightly.

"It's midnight, and I suppose it's alright. Good morning to you too, Kusuriuri-san," Aya said to him while turning around to meet him.

His hair is sprawled all over the pillow, the color of ash with a slight tint of purple mauve. His skin is as pale as hers, if not paler, and the moonlight from the open window shared its ghostly light with him only makes his skin looked as if they were glowing ivory.

"You're so beautiful," Aya murmured softly, admiring the man's beauty. He seemed surprised for a moment, before he smiled lightly and whispered back, holding a lock of her midnight locks in his hand, "The same goes for you, Nurarihyon-hime." Tilting his head forward a little, the Medicine Seller kissed the lock of hair in his hand lovingly, closing his eyes to appreciate the silkiness of her hair on his lips.

Both of them kept quiet after that, content by just admiring and marveled at each other's eyes, both lying side by side, limbs tangled together tightly, close enough to kiss just by a mere slight tilt of the head.

Aya no longer felt the burning pain from deep within her. The Medicine Seller had kept her alive by making love to her, satisfying her undying desire that could very well kill her with the amount of dose that Dakora had fed to Aya. She admitted, it had felt unbelievably good, and it had truly made her feel more alive than anything else she had done in the past. She marveled at the strong, strangely yet appropriately muscled men lying at her side, stroking her cheeks softly with his long lean fingers. She loved the way he look at her, she loved the way he kiss her, both wild and passionately gentle. She also loved the way he hold her in his arms, whispering for her to call his name in her ears and sucked on her earlobe, which made her feel so highly pleasured that she just couldn't help but to moan out his name, begging for more. She blushed at the memory.

Concern flitted across the Medicine Seller's handsome features when Aya suddenly turned red. Sitting up, which only further fueled Aya's embarrassment as the Medicine Seller is very much as naked as she was and when he sat up, he had dragged the quilt with him, which exposed everything that she could hide underneath the covers. In her panic, she had also sat up along with him, her smooth locks barely covered her nudity.

Turning fully towards him, the Medicine Seller started to check on Aya fully, touching her forehead and testing her temperatures. She is totally fine, except for the adorable red tinge coloring her cheeks ever so innocently. She looked guiltily at him, biting her lower lips nervously and embarrassingly, as if she had been caught doing something highly upsetting.

"Are you alright? Your face is red," asked the Medicine Seller, looking slightly downward at the much shorter Nurarihyon. One arm stroking her cheeks while the other lay protectively around her waist, the Medicine Seller suddenly felt the strange feelings of wanting to protect the rather small built Aya, who's hand were placed on his chest, having nowhere else to put them.

"I'm fine," said Aya, still red and feeling guilty over her dirty thoughts. "I'm just...recalling some pleasant memories."

The Medicine Seller knew what she is thinking to be able to make her blush so adorably and looking so guilty at the same time. Not wanting to embarrass her further, he merely smiled and planted his lips onto her forehead, kissing them softly and sighing gratefully, glad that she is no longer in pain.

But at the same time, the Medicine Seller is torn in between his duty and his desire to be by her side forever. In the mere two days, he knew his heart had grown to love her deeply, and he allowed it to grow despite it being able to bring him down to his demise.

Aya, somehow, felt so full with content at heart that she wished for the moment to last forever. She had lost count of how many times the Medicine Seller whispered his love into her ear during their lovemaking's, and each of them sounded just as sweet and sincere as the previous.

Her body is sore all over, but nonetheless, she knew she had to wake up. She had a land to govern, and there are also the rules that no decisions are to be made without her presence. Sitting up slowly, she gingerly placed her foot onto the floor and stand up.

Only to fall backward into the Medicine Seller's waiting embrace.

"Your body is still sore," said the Medicine Seller soothingly, covering her naked body with a silk kimono that has been hung up beside the bed frame, smiling slightly when he sees her flushed red from embarrassment. Gathering her gently into his arms, the Medicine Seller looked down on her flushed face and said softly, "Let me take you to wherever you want to go."

The Medicine Seller stayed for a few more days with Aya, making sure to treat and heal her thoroughly before deciding to tell Aya that it was time for him to leave. He can never forget the expression that Aya made that time; of her smiling calmly while her eyes betrayed the sorrows raging within her.

Which brings all to gather at the gate, where Aya and the rest of her people is to send the Medicine Seller off to continue his journey and duty.

"I'll be going, Nurarihyon-hime," said the Medicine Seller, eyes casted upon the female Nurarihyon's lovely visage, vowing to remember every contour and every expression she has ever made. He made a promise to himself that he won't ever forget her or the child she is now carrying within her.

Aya didn't say anything. Stepping forward, she placed a round golden medallion upon his neck, encrusted with red rubies while on one side of it is a mirror.

"This is my mother's family heirloom," Aya said softly, as if only wanting him to hear what she has to say about his leave, her fingers lingered on his chest. "It will protect you from harm throughout your journey, Kusuriuri-san."

Suddenly, he seized her up and wrapped her into his embrace as hard as he could and hold her tightly in his arms. He had promised himself that he won't show any emotions in front of a crowd, but his resolve wavered when he looked into Aya's eyes. Aya closed her eyes and, like the Medicine Seller, tried to remember everything about every moment with him.

"Even if I have given a part of me to you," the Medicine Seller whispered into her ear, his eyes casted down onto the ground and shadowed by his fringes. "I am still a hunter."

"I understand," said Aya from within his embrace, trying her best to control her voice from shaking.

The Medicine Seller tightened his hold on her. "I cannot stay."

Raising both of her arms and hugged him just as tightly as he did to her, Aya said tearfully as a tear slipped from her hypnotizing midnight blue eyes, her voice a pitch higher than her normal tone, "I know."

"And I cannot be the one to stand beside you as your husband for eternity."

Taking a deep shuddering breath, Aya replied in a shaking voice, "I know that too."

Kissing the side of her temple, the Medicine Seller whispered his apologies, "I am sorry."

Turning her head around to face him, Aya kisses him briefly on his lips, "I'm sorry too."

Calming down, both gathered themselves together and, after a final, passionate embrace and kiss, the Medicine Seller picked up his wooden pack and walked to the gates.

"Please don't worry," called out Aya to the Medicine Seller, who turned around to look at her, stopping him at his tracks, and this time, she is smiling at him. "I will raise our son to be a proper leader. He will not disappoint both you and me."

The Medicine Seller nodded once, a small smile grazed upon his lips. Turning around, he walked towards the gates.

Aya, once again, stopped the Medicine Seller by calling out to him. "Kusuriuri-san!"

Running towards him, Aya looked up into his eyes and said to him in a voice only he could hear, "If, supposedly, by the end of time, my plan to unite all youkais and leave the world of the living is successful, please, if you could, please come back to me."

The Medicine Seller is surprised. She had not only told him of her dreams, but had also wanted him to share that dream with her. He couldn't help but to feel his heart swell up in happiness. Smiling, the Medicine Seller gathered a lock of her hair which had fallen in front of her shoulders and kissed it lightly, "I will pray for that day to come."

"And please," Aya added, "Stay safe."

"I will," said the Medicine Seller, his lips now a wide smile.

Wrapping her arms around the Medicine Seller, Aya whispered to him softly and sincerely, "I know you might not believe this, but deep down in my heart, I love you, and will love you for eternity."

Caressing her hair, the Medicine Seller said knowingly to her, "I know, and I believe you. Like you said, Nurarihyons don't lie, right?"

Extracting herself from his arms, the female Nurarihyon said with a wide smile on her face. "Yes, and we keep our promises until the end of time."

Stepping away from him, Aya clasped both of her hands together and said to the Medicine Seller as he stepped over the gate, leaving the boarder of the hidden world. "We will see each other again."

_Written on: 19th of July 2010_

* * *

**A/N: I'm sorry this came so late. I have tons of stuff happening this past few months, and it's been hard to squeeze an idea out of my head right now. I would appreciate it a lot if there is a review! Thank you for viewing and reading!**


	12. Chapter 12:100 Years Later

**Story 1:**

**Last Chapter:**

**100 Years Later…**

Here he stood in the middle of the proud and beautiful garden of the Nura clan's compound. His wide black wings folded neatly behind his back, his torso strangely light from the absence of his armor, his black eyes scanning the garden for any signs of living beings. Kuroumaru, now older and matured, is on a mission.

Today is counted as a rest day for all the youkais. The time of wars has long ago passed and buried behind happiness and peace. Everyone enjoyed the new found peace very much, and the Nura clan, as the one who had long ago defeated Hagoromo Kitsune, becomes the new leader for all the youkais in the world. Her will is further secured with the bestowment of her new title as 'Denka', meaning 'Highness', by all the ayakashi around the world. The Nurarihyon had issued an order that nobody is to wear their custom uniform or armories for one full day, which is today. And so, wearing his black yukata, Kuroumaru once again scanned the garden before starting to go around the bushes nearest to him.

"Young Master! Young Master! Where are you!" called out Kuroumaru, now the head of the Karasu Tengu clan. His straw-sandals seemed to be the only sound against grainy sand as he made his way back to the main house, where the bushes and flowers and trees are bountiful.

He felt something pulled at his now long hair, which he kept neatly in a ponytail tied back by a red ribbon and looked behind him.

Of course, it's the mischievous young master of the Nura clan.

"I've found you, young master," said Kuroumaru playfully, trying his hardest to grin playfully but only managed to flash a row of pearly white teeth. Kuroumaru is precise and perfect in everything, but lacked a little when it came to the displaying emotions part. That triggered another giggle from the little boy and he pulled at Kuroumaru's hair harder, almost yanking them off by the roots of his hair.

"Ouch!" Kuroumaru cried out in pain. "Young Master! It hurts! Young Master!"

As long as the years had gone by, the young son of Nura Aya still hasn't reach a matured age. From what Ren the physician from the Yakushi clan said, the child between a half-blooded mother belonging to the Nurarihyon family and a full-blooded hunter of a father is a case that he has never seen before, and had never heard before in all his years as the head of the Yakushi clan. Aya's and the hunter's son may be slow in maturing and growing, but he is undeniably strong and smart for his age. Although at times he had proven to be an extremely difficult case for all the close bodyguards of Aya, as they are practically his caretakers, the boy had the brains of a genius.

And also terribly obedient to his mother.

"Kyouya," said a soft voice from behind the two struggling figure at the front porch. The boy's eyes and ears immediately perked up at the sound of the gentle voice, recognizing it immediately. As soon as the figure had stepped out of the shadow, the boy immediately flung Kuroumaru's ponytail away and lunged right into the open arms of a beautiful woman with dark midnight hair and eyes just as dazzling as her hair.

"Mother!" called out the boy cheerfully, named as Kyouya by her mother. Wrapping his arms tightly around the middle of the beautiful woman, Kyouya once again called his mother affectionately, "Mother!"

The woman is wearing a long flowing junihitoe robes the color of black silk, her midnight blue hair flowing freely behind her back. Her long bangs were held back with a single silver hairpin shaped in a flying phoenix encrusted with fiery rubies, standing out starkly against her dark hair. She looked to be around her middle 20-ies, if not, younger still.

"Aya-denka, (Your highness)," said Kuroumaru, his head bowed down a little as a sign of respect for the woman. The woman merely smiled at the Karasu Tengu clan's head and patted her son's strangely light brown hair.

Kneeling down, Aya held her son's small body and hold his face, an action that she would always use to make him pay attention to her as what she is going to say afterwards are almost always an advice that she obviously wanted him to follow.

"Kyouya," Aya started softly, making sure that she has his son's whole attention. When her son stared up at her solemnly, Aya continued. "You can't pull other's hair like that. It's very rude and disrespectful. Say sorry to Uncle Kuro."

Kyouya nodded once. Turning towards Kuroumaru, Kyouya ran up towards him and pulled the front of his yukata a little, catching his attention.

"I'm sorry, Uncle Kuro," apologized Kyouya earnestly, where Kuroumaru then patted the boy's head and whispered an, "It's okay," to him.

Smiling widely, Kyouya went back to his mother and hugged her tightly, taking in a deep breath of her uniquely unique motherly perfume.

Nura Kyouya, the 12th Nurarihyon's son, is almost 100 years old. In these 100 years, Aya had worked hard for everyone's future by taking over youkai's land and ruled them, molding the youkai world into her wish. Often, when a coven or a land overrun with youkais unwilling to be taken under the ruling wings of the Nura clan, they are exterminated without further ado. Thankfully, her son understood her mother's intentions, and thus remained with her for so long.

He had heard the stories of his father and mother's encounter, and thought that his father must be a very powerful hunter to begin with to be able to seduce his mother. According to his mother, his father is very beautiful, and that he, Kyouya, had his hair and lips. Often, Kyouya would catch his mother staring at him for a while, a faraway look on her face. Kuroumaru told him that she is merely thinking about his father, the Medicine Seller.

"I would like to visit the town today. Please arrange for a transport for me and Kyouya, Kuroumaru," said Aya softly, stroking her son's hair lovingly with a smile on her face. Upon hearing Kuroumaru's given task, Kyouya's eyes immediately lit up and smiled up widely to his mother. Kyouya, the young son of Nura Aya, as everybody knows, loves noisy places.

"Understood, Aya-denka," said Kuroumaru with a bow. "I will arrange for the transport and escort your highness and the young master personally."

Aya nodded once in response. "Very well," said Aya. "You are excused then."

As Kyouya watched Kuroumaru gave another low bow of respect, Aya's young son turned around quickly and pulled on his mother's robes as soon as Kuroumaru left the two of them in the quiet garden.

"Mother, mother, mother!" Kyouya chanted while bouncing in place. Smiling at the boy's antics, Aya crouched down and raised both of her elegantly shaped eyebrows, "What is it, Kyouya?"

As soon as he has his mother's attention, Kyouya immediately spits out all he has in mind. "Mother! Mother! Are we really going to town! Can I buy sweets! Can I play? Can I go look around? Can I?"

Laughing richly, Aya gave Kyouya a hug and said, "Of course you can, my son. Just bear in mind to behave and be polite."

Satisfied, Kyouya thanked his mother and breathe in deeply. His mother's motherly perfume is truly unique. She smelled so wonderful that for a moment, Kyouya thought of a way to bottle up that wonderful perfume and preserve it forever.

Kuroumaru knocked three times upon the wooden door of the carriage he had personally escorted. "Denka," he called upon the person resided within the carriage. "We've arrived at the town, just as you have ordered."

"Very well," Aya said from within the carriage. Upon hearing her response, Kuroumaru opened the wooden door and extended a hand for the beautiful lady sitting within with her son. Accepting his hand, Aya came down from the carriage gracefully and, while waiting for her son to come down from the carriage, Aya took the time to look around the town.

"The town prospered well, didn't it, Kuroumaru?" said Aya proudly, taking a deep breath and loving the smell of fresh market.

Bowing slightly, Kuroumaru answered, "Yes it did, Aya-denka. Since the opening of this town last month and the extra road made just 2 weeks ago, the amount of travelers and traders had grown at an exceptional rate."

Aya merely smiled at Kuroumaru's comment. Aside from being her advisor, Kuroumaru's head is brilliant and full of ideas, making the previously small ayakashi town prospered into near nation size. Aya thought that it was rather wise for the old Tengu head to finally pass his throne to his son earlier than scheduled, saying something about travelling and scouting for possible lands to take over.

Ayakashis from all around the world had gathered here for trading goods and businesses, and since Aya is the very first ayakashi to open a land and be the ruler of that particular land, the other ayakashis from the far side of the world, too, followed her idea and opened a new land for all ayakashi to gather together and stopped mingling with the humans. She even have the privilege of being crowned as the Head of all ayakashi in the world, being the first ever to govern a land and being the first ever to made that land prosper into a nation. Although there are a fair few of ayakashis left in the human world, they had vowed to never harm a human being, and Aya allowed them to stay. All in all, Aya had kept her promise and become the leader of all ayakashi, like her ancestors have strived to be in the past.

Everyone smiled and bowed slightly to the Nurarihyon, and continued with their business, bustling around and shouting items on sale. Aya loved the busy atmosphere. She liked it when commoners in town do not bow to her that much like she is treated in her own palace. Somehow, in a way or two, it made her felt rather normal and common and not a royalty all the time.

"Mother," her son called, breaking her away from her small thought. She turned towards her son.

"Mother," her son called again. "May I buy some sweets?"

Aya smiled widely. Even after so many years, her son's habit and love for sweets still haven't faded, just like her. One hand smoothing his light-colored hair, Aya nodded an approval.

Face lighting up happily, Kyouya quickly dragged Kuroumaru to a stall selling a varieties of sweets. Aya smiled again.

Then something within the crowd caught her sight; the familiar colorful kimono, the paleness of the skin and the light colored hair. For a moment, her heart skipped a beat. Then she thought again, it was quite frequent these days that she saw him, and the next moment he'll dissipate into a flurry of cherry blossoms. She glanced around, and there it was, a cherry blossom tree in full bloom, sending a shower of pink petals whenever there is a gush of wind.

She theorized to herself that whenever there is a cherry blossom tree and petals showering down, there he'll be, and disappear when she tried to take a second glance. The only way to keep him still is to ignore him and only glance at him from sideways.

So it makes no difference this time. The man she loves that stands a distance away from him is just another one of her imaginations.

But then there is something not quite right about him this time. Although she believed him to be an imagination, he appeared to be moving forward and towards her, a constant smile on his face and not disappearing into a flurry of cherry blossoms even though she had been staring at him for the past few minutes. There was hope in her heart as it skipped faster and louder.

Then he stopped. Just a few steps away from her, and still standing there. Her expression began to falter, and her hope began to diminish when he suddenly said something she had never heard from any of her previous imaginations.

"Aya," he said, that cool, calm and silky voice of his brought back memories from the past. Aya thought that her heart had stopped beating when she heard his voice, loud and clear, and this time, she is certain, it's not an imagination.

"I'm home, Aya," said the Medicine Seller, a smile grazing his thin lips.

Repeating his name softly once again to assure her that this is not the dream she has every day when she is sleeping, she watched as the Medicine seller extended his hand and called her name once again, a respond to his name being called by her.

A tear escaped from her beautiful midnight blue eyes. Smiling in disbelief, Aya launched herself into the waiting arms of the beautiful man standing right in front of her, burying her face in his broad, warm chest.

"You came back…" she mumbled gratefully in his chest. The Medicine Seller smiled and wrapped his arms around her tighter.

Kissing the top of her head, the Medicine Seller mumbled back, "I'm here to stay…Sorry for the wait…"

Detaching herself from him, Aya looked at him properly, one hand caressing his smooth cheeks, admiring the father of her son.

"You're still the same," said Aya, a soft smile on her face, as if reminiscing the past, comparing the Medicine Seller from a 100 years ago with the Medicine Seller standing right in front of her at this moment. Stroking them further still, Aya continued, "You looked exactly like you were a hundred years ago…"

The Medicine Seller merely smiled affectionately, one hand patting her hand placed on his cheek. "You look as lovely as you were a hundred years ago too…just like I remembered. Except for your hair," said the Medicine Seller, holding a lock of her hair, admiring the smoothness. "They grew longer."

Chuckling lightly, Aya replied him, "Yours did too…" Fingering the mirror hanging from his neck, Aya said in a disbelief tone, "You still kept this with you…"

"It serves well as a reminder that I have someone waiting for my return somewhere in the world…" said the Medicine Seller, a smile on his face.

Both of them stared at each other, glad to be back into each other's arms. The Medicine Seller leaned in and planted a soft kiss on Aya's lips, holding her tightly in his arms.

"I love you…" both of them said in unison once they've broke apart, resting their foreheads against each other, thankful for the chance to be in each other's presence again.

The Medicine Seller detached himself from Aya and looked down when he felt someone tugged at his robes. His eyes widened in surprise when he saw just how identical this boy and his looks was, except for the color of his eyes, which is a deep shade of midnight blue.

"Mother," Kyouya said in a small tone, his eyes wide in recognization. From the looks of the man embracing his mother moments ago, he looked exactly like the reflection in his mirror whenever he looked into one, except for the color of their eyes. Kyouya's quick wit quickly summed up everything from the scenes unfolding in front of him as his heart pounded with realization; that this was the man that saved his mother and gave him life.

"Is he...?" started the Medicine Seller, a look of pure recognition and shock on his face.

Smiling, Aya offered a hand to her son, beckoning him to come to her. "Come, Kyouya, meet you father."

The End

Written On: 21st of November 2010

* * *

**A/N: Finally, it's done! I love writing this story, since I love ancient stuff and mythical stuff, especially the Kusuriuri. Ah...such a beautiful man...  
It's hard to write this story, and I realize that some of you might just think that the Kusuriuri is OOC, but...well...We've never seen him display any emotions or having a girlfriend in the anime or manga, right? So this whole thing I write is just a speculation, and yeah, OOC, but despite the flaws, I love it. **

**Thank you for reading and viewing and reviewing! I appreciate it a lot!**

**P.S: I might consider adding an 'extra' story in here, so it really depends on the reviews I got for this chappie!**


End file.
